Mendocino National Forest Bloody Rock Road — Lake Pillsbury to Covelo via Hull Mountain

Bloody Rock Road earned its name from the Bloody Island Massacre of 1850, and the ghosts of that history hang over the ridge as you grind north from Lake Pillsbury toward Hull Mountain. The route climbs hard out of the Lake Pillsbury Recreation Area, topping out near the Hull Mountain Lookout at around 6,873 feet before descending through oak and pine into the Round Valley near Covelo. The road surface alternates between chunky volcanic rock, loose shale sidehills, and rutted red dirt — nothing here is easy or forgiving. The Hull Mountain summit stretch is the crux: narrow shelf road with significant drop-offs and no guardrails, best tackled dry.

This is a high-clearance 4WD route — lockers help on the descent. Stock lifted trucks and capable Jeeps handle it, but soft-roaders have no business here. The road washes out badly in wet months; stick to late June through October. No permit required, but check road status with the Mendocino National Forest Covelo Ranger District before departure. Cell service is nonexistent from the lake to Covelo. Carry two to three gallons of water per person — no reliable sources on the ridge. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout. What you get: genuine solitude, sweeping Coast Range views, and a route that most Californians have never heard of.